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Blue Jays planning to install dirt infield for 2016

It appears the Toronto Blue Jays are moving forward with their plan to install a dirt infield at Rogers Centre in time for the 2016 season.

When responding to a tweet about the installation of a dirt infield on Saturday, Blue Jays vice-president of business operations Steven Brooks said the plan is to start in February. John Lott of the National Post confirmed the planned start date with a source in a report on Saturday.

Brooks has previously stated that installing a dirt infield was a possibility for 2016, and team president Mark Shapiro had a similar response when speaking to reporters on Thursday. The Blue Jays have dirt cutouts around the bases and pitcher’s mound but remain the only team in MLB without dirt basepaths.

The installation of a dirt infield is just one of many renovations the team is planning for Rogers Centre in the upcoming years.

Shapiro said Thursday the team is working on a “comprehensive plan” of building needs, which includes retrofitting the Rogers Centre with a natural grass playing surface, fortifying the dome’s concrete and updating the scoreboard, among other items.

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